Help choosing the correct tool/technique for a job

[dirty old man]

Hopefully this is the right forum for this.

It's been a while since I posted, but I figured you guys would have much more knowledge than me about these matters.

I'm currently in the process of cleaning up an old phonograph cabinet my girlfriend picked up. Unfortunately, a cat had gotten to the grill sometime in the past and tore it up a bit.

One of my first tasks is to replace that grill.

After disassembling the cabinet and getting the grill off, I'm wondering how I'm going to get these brass trim pieces off without damaging them.

I was thinking I could drill the heads off the nails, but I can see the drill bit walking all over the place very easily…

Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Tinner]

Try putting a block on the inside of the brass pieces in the vicinity of the nails and tapping outward gently. You may loosen the nails enough that you can get a pliers on the heads. Those small nails probably aren't very tight after all the years.

 

[gotham]

If you do decide to drill the nail heads use a center punch before you drill.

 

[dirty old man]

Both good ideas. Thanks!
I'll give them a shot and see how it goes.

 

[R.Anderson]

Try putting a block on the inside of the brass pieces in the vicinity of the nails and tapping outward gently. You may loosen the nails enough that you can get a pliers on the heads. Those small nails probably aren't very tight after all the years.

This is what I would try after trying a putty knife as a leaver under the brass to get the nails to lift enough to get a pair of pliers on the head.

 

[kbs2244]

The grill material itself is going to be scrapped anyway.
Cut it out with a razor knife.
Then get the skinnest nail set you can find and pound the nails out from the inside of the frame.
You may have to make your own punch by grinding the point off a nail for a flat end.

 

[dirty old man]

It's not so much a frame as it is a solid board with 3 holes cut into it for the speakers

If I catch a second wind tonight, I'm going to see what I can do with this.

 

[MBfreak]

Hi.
Take a Dremel with a cut-off wheel and grind away the head of the "nail" . This is easier than it first seems. Once the head starts to get real thin it will turn blue when you grind and then you are real close. Now concentrate the grinding in the center of the head and the papperthin head will fall off. You never need to risk grinding into the metal frame.

Best regards

Ola

 

[jimgood]

If you can replace the wood too, I'd just use a carbide cutter from the back side to cut through the wood and nails by cutting just behind the trim.

 

[dirty old man]

Placing a wood block on the inner edge of the brass piece seems to be working well! I gave it a shot this morning and was pleasantly surprised

Thanks for the suggestions guys!